In undersea fluid pressure transmission lines, as for petroleum operations, high reliability is very important. Typically a number of coupler halves are mounted perpendicularly to a plate or mounting base, with the mating half of each coupler mounted on one or more parallel opposing plates, so that all couplings mate at the same time. Metal-to-metal seals are preferably used for reliability and strength. Examples of such couplers are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,637,470 to Weathers et al., 4,694,859 to Smith and 4,709,726 to Fitzgibbons. Typically the metal seal will be C-shaped, as in the Smith and Fitzgibbons patents, or V-shaped as in the Weathers connector design.
A coupling arrangement is needed in which the high internal pressure will not tend to cause uncoupling. This will permit the mounting plates, and the means holding the couplers together, to be of lighter construction and will lessen the possibility of mishap. It is for this purpose that the present invention has been made.